Abused by a coach or camp counselor? What California law allows

If you were sexually abused by a coach, trainer, instructor or camp counselor, you may be able to bring a youth sports coach sexual abuse lawsuit in California against the person who did it and against the club, league, governing body or camp that gave that person access to you. The same is true for a summer camp abuse lawsuit. Many survivors do not speak about it for years. The law takes that into account.

This guide explains, as of October 2026, the rules California youth organizations must follow under AB 506, the federal Safe Sport Act, who can be held responsible, how long you have, and what to do next. It is general information, not legal advice. If you are a parent reading this for your child, the same rules apply, and your child's privacy can be protected.

Key facts at a glance

California youth organization law	AB 506 (Chapter 169, Statutes of 2021), Business and Professions Code § 18975 and following
What AB 506 requires	Abuse-reporting training and background checks for administrators, employees and regular volunteers; written prevention policies; two mandated reporters present "to the greatest extent possible"
Federal law for organized sport	Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act (Public Law 115-126, February 14, 2018)
California deadline, abuse since Jan. 1, 2024	None (Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1)
California deadline, earlier abuse	Generally age 40, or a set period after discovering the injury
Public camps and school teams	No six-month government claim for childhood sexual assault (Government Code § 905(m))

What California requires of youth sports leagues and camps (AB 506)

AB 506, signed September 16, 2021, sets minimum safety rules for "youth service organizations." That term covers organizations whose staff are mandated child abuse reporters because they work with a youth center, youth recreation program or youth organization, which can include many sports leagues, clubs and camps. Under the law:

• Training. Every administrator, employee and regular volunteer must complete training in recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect.
• Background checks. The same people must undergo a background check meant to identify and exclude anyone with a history of child abuse.
• Policies. The organization must adopt child abuse prevention policies that ensure suspected abuse is reported to people outside the organization, and that, "to the greatest extent possible," at least two mandated reporters are present when adults are in contact with or supervising children.

A "regular volunteer" is an adult who has direct contact with or supervises children for more than 16 hours a month or 32 hours a year. That reaches many volunteer coaches and team parents, not only paid staff.

AB 506 does not itself spell out a lawsuit for breaking these rules. But when a league or camp skipped a background check, had no reporting policy, or let one adult be alone with children again and again, that history can be strong evidence that it failed to take reasonable steps to protect children.

What the federal Safe Sport Act requires

For Olympic-movement sports and many travel and club programs, federal law adds more. The Safe Sport Authorization Act, enacted February 14, 2018:

• Requires adults authorized by a national governing body or amateur sports organization to interact with minors to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, within 24 hours.
• Designated the U.S. Center for SafeSport to handle abuse allegations in the Olympic and Paralympic movement.
• Requires national governing bodies to limit one-on-one interactions between adults and minors, unless they are observable and interruptible, and to prohibit retaliation against people who report.
• Extends similar duties to other amateur sports organizations that compete across state lines and have members in regular contact with minors.

The same law strengthened a federal civil remedy, 18 U.S.C. § 2255, which lets survivors of certain federal sex crimes recover actual damages or $150,000 in liquidated damages, plus attorney's fees. In 2022, Congress removed the time limit for those claims, for claims not already barred as of September 16, 2022. This remedy applies only when the abuse involved one of the listed federal offenses, so a lawyer has to look at the facts to see whether it fits.

Who can be held responsible?

Several parties may share responsibility, depending on the facts:

• The coach, trainer or counselor who committed the abuse, whether or not they were ever charged with a crime.
• The club, team, league or camp that hired or approved the person, if it failed to screen, train or supervise, ignored complaints, or allowed private access to children.
• A regional association or national governing body, in some cases, if it approved or certified the coach or set the rules that applied.
• A school district or city that ran the team, recreation program or camp. Childhood abuse claims against public entities do not need a six-month government claim first; see our school district abuse guide.
• A church or religious group that ran a camp or youth program; see our guide to clergy abuse in California.

Whether an organization had a legal duty to protect you is often the first fight. In 2021, in a case brought by former athletes against national taekwondo and Olympic bodies, the California Supreme Court set out a two-step test for when an organization owes a duty to protect someone from harm by another person, as summarized by Kennedys. The first step asks whether there is a special relationship, such as the control a club or camp has over the children in its care.

Reported results in California youth sports cases

These cases were handled by other firms, not LaCour.

• 2018, $8.2 million settlement. According to The Mercury News, U.S. Youth Soccer Association paid $6.5 million and its Northern California affiliate $1.7 million to settle a suit by a former player abused by a Sunnyvale-area volunteer coach. The suit alleged the organizations did no background check, which would have shown a prior conviction. CBS San Francisco reported that the coach had been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
• 2026, ruling on a volleyball association. Hoodline reported in June 2026 that a Los Angeles Superior Court judge refused to dismiss the Southern California Volleyball Association from a lawsuit by former players alleging abuse by a club coach, letting negligence and failure-to-report claims go forward. The association argued the coach was not its member and the players were not in its custody. The case is pending, and the claims are allegations.

Every case is different. Past results, including those listed here, do not predict the outcome of any other case.

How long do I have to file?

Most coach and camp abuse happens to children, so the childhood rules in Code of Civil Procedure § 340.1 usually apply. Our childhood abuse statute of limitations guide explains them fully. In short:

• Abuse on or after January 1, 2024: no deadline.
• Abuse before 2024: generally until age 40, or within a set period after you discovered that an adult psychological injury was caused by the abuse, whichever is later. SB 577, signed September 30, 2026, shortens that discovery period from five years to three, and adds a higher proof standard for survivors 40 and older who sue a public entity such as a school district.
• Treble damages: up to three times the damages may be available against a private organization proven to have covered up the abuse, but not against a public entity.
• If you were 18 or older, for example a college or elite athlete, adult rules apply. Code of Civil Procedure § 340.16(b)(3) allows some adult claims for assaults on or after January 1, 2009 to be filed until December 31, 2026, and AB 250 opened a separate window through December 31, 2027 for certain cover-up claims against private entities. See our AB 2777 deadline guide.

What to do now

1. If a child is at risk now, call 911 or your county child abuse hotline. For Olympic-movement sports, you can also report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
2. Write down what you remember: the team or camp, seasons or summers, the coach's role, other adults who were around, and anyone you told.
3. Save what you have: rosters, schedules, team photos, camp brochures, registration emails and any messages from the coach. Do not delete social media or texts.
4. Note when you connected the abuse to the harm, such as a therapy session, because that date can control your deadline.
5. Do not sign anything from the league, camp or an insurer before talking to a lawyer.

Many survivors worry about being identified in a small sports community. You can file as Jane or John Doe; see our guide to filing as Jane Doe.

How LaCour handles these cases

LaCour Trial Lawyers is a partner-led trial firm with offices across California and Spanish-speaking lawyers and staff. We look closely at what the organization knew, what rules it was bound by and what it did with them. There is no fee unless there is a recovery. Learn about our sexual abuse practice or request a free, confidential review.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information about California and federal law and about public records as of its date. It is not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.